Human Sacrifices to the God of Politics: Dr Haneef goes to India
July 30th 2007 01:12
Human Sacrifices to the God of Politics: Dr Haneef goes to India
There is a line of argument that state that everyone has a religion whether the admit it or not. Religious worship their god or gods, Atheists often an ideology, the greedy worship money and politicians worship political power and on the altar of political power the only sin is losing any power, perceived or otherwise. So in this most desperate fight losing face could easily become a fight for survival. Survival in a hostile environment is all that matters because to lose is often to be with out a career, purpose or justification for ones past deeds. Listen to the way politicians talk about each other and denigrate each other and you will see something akin to a grand chess game where ironically the public is either a pawn or excluded from the game. Often we can look on with dismay and wonder what planet this so called leaders come from. Do they even care about the lives they ruin in the pursuit of their pathetic little careers? Based upon the record of the last few years in Australia it would indicate that they do not.
No where is this more obvious than in the Dr Haneef case; the details of this case have made headlines around the world and is as controversial in India as it is in Australia. From day 1 after Dr Haneef was arrested at Brisbane Air Port doubts were raised about why such an innocuous person with remote links should be detained. It was to the first real test case of how the new anti terror laws were to be used in Australia. The weeks later and we are still clearer as to what he was alleged to have done wrong. Every piece of evidence leaked and presented to the public to condemn turned out be either false, incorrect and perhaps even maliciously so.
The police did their work like a bunch of clumsy Keystone cops tripping over every hole in the evidence before the director of public prosecution decided to drop all charges. However innocent Dr Haneef may have been in the face of the law he was still guilty in the pace of politics. The Minister for Immigration Kevin Andrews had created the situation of indefinite detention of a Dr Haneef when he revoked his visa just hours after he had been granted bail by the courts. This was only possible because recent changes in the laws gave the Minister of immigration absolute power to reject anyone based upon character ground. A law created to deport ex-criminals after serving their sentence was now being used to imprison a person who the courts had said should be free on bail. With the dropping of all charges the Minister eventually decided to release Dr Haneef to home detention and later gave him permission to leave Australia. Dr Haneef was not given back his work visa and so could not return to his previous occupation as a physician as a Gold Coast hospital. Dr Haneef’s lawyer will be fighting for the return of Dr Haneef’s work visa in a hearing on 8th August 2007.
Minister Kevin Andrews has waisted no time saying that, “The fact that Dr Haneef is leaving Australia is very suspicious.” Yet at the same time the government seems to be distancing itself from Kevin Andrews’s decisions. Declaring that he right to do so but they were taking him on good faith. (A bet each way?)
The reality of the situation for Dr Haneef is: He was arrested on suspicion, held in solitary for three weeks and released only after media attention forced the Director of Public Prosecution to review the facts of the case. In those three weeks his job was suspended without pay; the lease on his unit expired and the door of his unit was left unlocked by the police. Over 200 state and federal police were called into investigate Dr Haneef and all they managed to find was that he gave a SIM card to someone who may have known something about the failed London car bombing. Even after being released he would have no source of income due to having no work visa and have no place to live due his lease expiring. He has only spoke to his wife on the phone in prison but was not allowed to speak to his mother at all. It is perfectly reasonable to expect Dr Haneef to head fro home as soon as possible to be with his family. Having seen the way the new anti-terror laws have been twisted and turned it would be wise for him to put some kind of open legal process between him and the Australian Government.
What is suspicious is the ferocity of the rhetoric against Dr Haneef from Kevin Andrews. Calls have come from the opposition, minor parties, lawyers and even the media for a review of the handling of the case. In the center of any inquiry would be Hon. Kevin Andrews and how he came to decide why Dr Haneef should be deprived of liberty. The actions of the government and it willingness to justify the tough laws that led to this debacle may also come to light. Was the legal system being perverted to follow a political agenda? That is the burning question.
Tough laws were passed over the last few years and strengthened progressively after every major terrorist action from Bali to London to Iraq. The government claimed that any accusation that they could not be trusted with such powers was ridiculous and would never happen. Yet in the first test of these laws the public trust was betrayed over and over again. An obvious scandal this huge requires a whole team of people to perfect to the point of creating world headlines. In this case the laws could have been applied in reasonable manner except for the fact that Terrorism is a subject that has political implications beyond the terrorist’s objectives. Governments sell their security handling skills as major election bonus. They promise to make us safer than the other guy and trade on fear wherever they can. Dr Haneef can suddenly be looked at in the light of an electoral winner and a way winning over a scared and nervous public. He was to be the captured terrorist to justify the tough laws and convince us that only one party can keep us safe. Unfortunate for Dr Haneef that he happened to be innocent, his sacrifice mattered not.
There is little that the government can salvage out of this episode to save face. It has placed the terrorism card one too many times to erode civil liberties and rights to open justice. The Dr Haneef case has sent chill through the Australian community where over half are direct descendants of immigrants. Who can honestly say what all their second cousins are doing these days? Guilt by association has always been an anathema to justice in Australia and so it should remain. Yet when such laws give politicians the powers that wiser men would fear to have, what hope have any of us? We should always that all mass injustices start with one injustice. We should also review the laws that led to this situation and repeal that ones that do not have proper judicial oversight. Otherwise we may all need protection from the government more than the terrorists.
Perhaps it is too much to expect the Federal Police, The DPP, the Government and Kevin Andrews to show an ounce of dignity and apologize to Dr Haneef. It may be too much to expect but it seems from all angles that it is warranted.
Dr Haneef getting a heroes welcome in India
No where is this more obvious than in the Dr Haneef case; the details of this case have made headlines around the world and is as controversial in India as it is in Australia. From day 1 after Dr Haneef was arrested at Brisbane Air Port doubts were raised about why such an innocuous person with remote links should be detained. It was to the first real test case of how the new anti terror laws were to be used in Australia. The weeks later and we are still clearer as to what he was alleged to have done wrong. Every piece of evidence leaked and presented to the public to condemn turned out be either false, incorrect and perhaps even maliciously so.
The police did their work like a bunch of clumsy Keystone cops tripping over every hole in the evidence before the director of public prosecution decided to drop all charges. However innocent Dr Haneef may have been in the face of the law he was still guilty in the pace of politics. The Minister for Immigration Kevin Andrews had created the situation of indefinite detention of a Dr Haneef when he revoked his visa just hours after he had been granted bail by the courts. This was only possible because recent changes in the laws gave the Minister of immigration absolute power to reject anyone based upon character ground. A law created to deport ex-criminals after serving their sentence was now being used to imprison a person who the courts had said should be free on bail. With the dropping of all charges the Minister eventually decided to release Dr Haneef to home detention and later gave him permission to leave Australia. Dr Haneef was not given back his work visa and so could not return to his previous occupation as a physician as a Gold Coast hospital. Dr Haneef’s lawyer will be fighting for the return of Dr Haneef’s work visa in a hearing on 8th August 2007.
Kevin Andrews- Minister for Immigration- Still calls Dr Haneef suspicious despite the evidence. Perhaps he should be sacked then made prove he is innocent.
The reality of the situation for Dr Haneef is: He was arrested on suspicion, held in solitary for three weeks and released only after media attention forced the Director of Public Prosecution to review the facts of the case. In those three weeks his job was suspended without pay; the lease on his unit expired and the door of his unit was left unlocked by the police. Over 200 state and federal police were called into investigate Dr Haneef and all they managed to find was that he gave a SIM card to someone who may have known something about the failed London car bombing. Even after being released he would have no source of income due to having no work visa and have no place to live due his lease expiring. He has only spoke to his wife on the phone in prison but was not allowed to speak to his mother at all. It is perfectly reasonable to expect Dr Haneef to head fro home as soon as possible to be with his family. Having seen the way the new anti-terror laws have been twisted and turned it would be wise for him to put some kind of open legal process between him and the Australian Government.
What is suspicious is the ferocity of the rhetoric against Dr Haneef from Kevin Andrews. Calls have come from the opposition, minor parties, lawyers and even the media for a review of the handling of the case. In the center of any inquiry would be Hon. Kevin Andrews and how he came to decide why Dr Haneef should be deprived of liberty. The actions of the government and it willingness to justify the tough laws that led to this debacle may also come to light. Was the legal system being perverted to follow a political agenda? That is the burning question.
Tough laws were passed over the last few years and strengthened progressively after every major terrorist action from Bali to London to Iraq. The government claimed that any accusation that they could not be trusted with such powers was ridiculous and would never happen. Yet in the first test of these laws the public trust was betrayed over and over again. An obvious scandal this huge requires a whole team of people to perfect to the point of creating world headlines. In this case the laws could have been applied in reasonable manner except for the fact that Terrorism is a subject that has political implications beyond the terrorist’s objectives. Governments sell their security handling skills as major election bonus. They promise to make us safer than the other guy and trade on fear wherever they can. Dr Haneef can suddenly be looked at in the light of an electoral winner and a way winning over a scared and nervous public. He was to be the captured terrorist to justify the tough laws and convince us that only one party can keep us safe. Unfortunate for Dr Haneef that he happened to be innocent, his sacrifice mattered not.
Dr Haneef will be appealing to have his visa restored
Perhaps it is too much to expect the Federal Police, The DPP, the Government and Kevin Andrews to show an ounce of dignity and apologize to Dr Haneef. It may be too much to expect but it seems from all angles that it is warranted.
The Age has said, ''The disgraceful treatment of Mohamed Haneef has all the hallmarks of a typical Howard Government political play. Nasty, divisive, cynical and, of course, no involvement of the Prime Minister himself. When will Howard take responsibility?''
''Mohamed Haneef's character has been trashed by a government prepared to do anything to cling onto power. Yet despite the collapse of the case, no one in the government has the decency to apologize or even admit that Haneef has been treated unfairly.''
''Nothing is more important to Australia's security than public confidence in the government's ability to make the right laws, and the ability of the police and the justice system to enforce them. That confidence has been sorely tested by the conduct of the case against Haneef,'' said the Sydney Morning Herald.
''Mohamed Haneef's character has been trashed by a government prepared to do anything to cling onto power. Yet despite the collapse of the case, no one in the government has the decency to apologize or even admit that Haneef has been treated unfairly.''
''Nothing is more important to Australia's security than public confidence in the government's ability to make the right laws, and the ability of the police and the justice system to enforce them. That confidence has been sorely tested by the conduct of the case against Haneef,'' said the Sydney Morning Herald.
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